Andrey Malkov & Elena Malkova

PROFILE

Growing up in Siberia, Elena and Andrey would spend summers helping their grandparents on their little farm, growing various vegetables and fruits. In 2013, the brother-sister duo discovered that Hibiscus - their favorite vegetarian restaurant - was for sale and jumped at the opportunity to take it over. Best-known for their vegan, gluten-free organic options – Hibiscus continues to be a top destination for Toronto health-enthusiasts.

Upon arriving in Toronto in the early 2000’s, they both quickly adopted a plant-based diet, due to the diversity of vegetarian and vegan options in Toronto.

In 2013, the brother-sister duo discovered that their favorite vegetarian restaurant was for sale and they jumped at the opportunity to take it over, learning the craft. They started sourcing organic ingredients for the recipes, emphasizing locally available produce. Best-known for their vegan, gluten-free sweet and savoury crepes, as well as their 42-ingredient salad – Hibiscus continues to be a top destination for Toronto health-enthusiasts.

Over the last four years, Elena has worked diligently to develop several unique dairy-free ice-cream flavours in gluten-free cones – another draw for the thousands of people visiting this Kensington Market gem.